The disclosed device relates to cartridge discharged material. More particularly the disclosed device relates the dispensing of prepackaged material from cartridges through a controlled volume orifice. The disclosed device provides for the controlled placement of material from the cartridge by means of rotating a hand knob attached to a threaded rod assembly designed to thereby translate a plunger within a piston-like sleeve in the flanged dispenser, forcing the material out the controlled volume orifice.
A conventional device used for this application is the caulking gun with its pistol type squeeze grip used to dispense caulk or similar materials. With this type of application a cylindrical tube is inserted into the dispensing apparatus that restricts the cylinder from the front adjacent to the dispensing nozzle. Pressure is exerted on an internal piston-like sleeve by squeezing a pistol grip actuating a rod and plunger by a ratcheting means to dispense a prepackaged substance.
Another and equally effective method of similarly extruding a prepackaged substance in a flanged dispenser through a controlled volume orifice is accomplished by squeezing a pistol grip mechanism, actuating a rod and plunger with a ratcheting mechanism, pressing an internal piston like sleeve and forcing the material out the controlled volume orifice. The method of restraining this type of cylindrical container for dispensing the material is by the means of a top and bottom flange at the rear of the container.
Licensed pest control operators have found in dispensing insecticide in commercial establishments and private residences that it is extremely difficult to deposit the desired amount of insecticide in exactly the proper locations. This is especially true when the access to those locations is tight or is obstructed by furniture, appliances, or other difficult to move objects. Commercial gel type insecticides are most commonly dispensed by the means of a cylindrical container with opposing flanges at rear to be attached to a conventional dispensing gun. This form of container is often used in the field of pest control to dispense insecticides in cracks and crevices, the need for which is often in hard to reach areas behind appliances in commercial establishments as well as residences. There are precise amounts and locations that the appropriate insecticide can legally be deposited depending on the material applied and the location.
Commercially available dispensing devices for substances in this style of container feature a pistol grip mechanism that restrains the cylindrical tube type container of insecticide gel by an upper and lower flange attachment. Such devices function much the same as a caulking gun where a trigger is activated by the user""s fingers which in turn imparts pressure to the rear of the container to force gel from the front of the container. Such commercially available dispensers, however, are of limited use when trying to reach difficult areas other than moving the appliances out of the way. Too often these appliances are connected to electrical, water or sewer lines that make the job extremely difficult. Other problems arise when the area cannot be seen adequately to know if the gel or other material is being placed properly. Still another problem arises when the handle of a conventional applicator gun is squeezed and the material continues to run out the dispensing orifice after the squeezing has stopped due to the ratcheting mechanism. This can inadvertently place the dispensed material where it should not safely or legally be located. Additionally, when trying to place material from such dispensing guns on high ledges or walls and the like, a ladder is required.
The device herein disclosed provides a means to reach areas that have been either impossible or hard to reach, with ease, through the provision of a flanged dispenser extension and extrusion system which allows the user to dispense a precisely controlled amount of insecticide or other substances in these areas by rotating a hand knob. The substance application ceases immediately when rotating of the hand knob stops. Additionally, the device can be provided in variable lengths which can be assembled by simply adding or subtracting central lengths within the system. Further utility is provided by a small flashlight or other illumination means which may be attached to the device for viewing into dark and hard to reach areas for proper placement of the material. Finally, high areas may be reached using the device without a ladder, and when combined with the angled tip adapter, both high places and confined places are easily accessed by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,512,684 of (Sutton) describes an extended in length gun for the use with conventional cartridges of caulking compound and the like. The gun includes a handle and trigger assembly and a cartridge holding chamber, joined by an elongated cylindrical casing within which a guide tube is mounted for receiving the pressure rod of the gun. The guide tube prevents bowing or deflection of the pressure rod, thereby assuring even dispensing of the material when the trigger is actuated. Sutton describes the conventional style of ratchet caulking guns restraining the cartridge at the front adjacent to the controlled volume orifice. It does not describe the rotational activation means, the variable extension means, the restraining of the cartridge by the opposing flanges at the rear or the addition of the flashlight.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,440 (Deeb) teaches of a caulking gun where the cartridge chamber is connected with the trigger assembly by a tubular casing and a pressure member which are adjustable so as to provide a caulking gun of any desired length and the trigger assembly is rotatably connected to the tubular casing or to the cartridge chamber so that the relative position of these two components may be varied. Deeb describes an extension to a conventional ratchet-style caulking gun restraining the cartridge at the front adjacent to the controlled volume orifice. It does not describe the rotational activation means, the variable extension means, the restraining of the cartridge by the opposing flanges at the rear or the addition of the flashlight. With the ratchet-style of caulking gun the only way to stop the material flow is to turn the angled end of the central shaft containing the ratchet teeth. If not turned, the spring pressure of the mechanism will continue to extrude the material until the pressure is released by reaching the next restraining tooth.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,565 (Paradiso) additionally discloses a caulking gun or the like for the dispensing of construction materials such as caulk, glue, sealant, etc. It is provided with a guide at its front end to enable the user more easily and readily to follow an object such as a construction member, groove and other line to which the material is applied. It is provided with an elongated extension, enabling operation of the gun by a standing rather than a kneeling workman. Paradiso tells of another extendable conventional ratchet-style caulking gun restraining the cartridge at the front adjacent to the controlled volume orifice, and does not describe the rotational activation means, the variable extension means, the restraining of the cartridge by the opposing flanges at the rear or the addition of the flashlight.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,642 (Brattesani) describes a fluid dispenser adapter and method of use. It is a dispenser adapter which allows dispensing of multiple types of materials with use of a single dispensing device. The invention includes a cartridge holder with a socket for receiving a replaceable cartridge of adhesive, filler, or other material. The cartridge holder is reversibly coupled to a dispensing device such as a syringe or dispensing gun. A plunger associated with the cartridge holder forces material from the cartridge. Force is transferred from the piston of the dispensing device to the plunger of the dispenser adapter apparatus by mechanical interfacing the piston and plunger. Brattesani thus teaches a device more in line with the medical field, not requiring any extendable capabilities and would not lend itself to the use of insecticides.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,431 (Brattesani) discloses a dispenser adapter apparatus which allows activation and dispensing of multiple types of materials with use of a single dispensing device. The cartridge holder is reversibly coupled to a dispensing device such as a syringe or dispensing gun. The ""431 patent of Brattesani tells of another device more in line with the medical field, not requiring any extendable capabilities and would not lend itself to the use of insecticides.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,412 (Snell, et al.) teaches of a multipurpose dispenser system including a hand-held dispenser which is capable of dispensing viscous fluid and particulate materials. When dispensing viscous fluids, the dispenser precisely dispenses such materials without wasteful post-extrusion. The system also includes an adapter for mounting a particulate material dispenser to the dispenser as well as particulate material dispenser cartridges suitable for mounting to the dispenser. The ""412 patent of Snell tells of a unique dispenser that endeavors to solve the wasteful post-extrusion problem, but still uses a similar ratcheting mechanism, not the rotational activation means, the variable extension means, or the addition of the flashlight described within this disclosure, although it is adaptable to restraining of the cartridge by the opposing flanges at the rear.
Consequently, there exists a need for a flanged cartridge dispenser extension and extrusion system that will allow material to be dispensed in tight or hard to reach locations which previously would not have been accessible without moving appliances. Such a device should be easy to use and allow for easy mounting and dismounting of cartridges holding the material being dispensed. Such a device should also provide for maximum accuracy in the amount of material dispensed as well as helping to prevent dripping of the potentially hazardous material while the device is dispensing or being removed from a dispensing position.
A preferred embodiment of the flanged cartridge dispenser extension and extrusion system provides the user the ability to deposit controlled amounts of a substance in specific target areas. The gel or other substance so dispensed by the device can easily be deposited into areas behind hard to move appliances. Viewing of the dispersed material and its location is enhanced with the aide of an attached light source if there is not sufficient light available to see adequately.
Dispensing of material is accomplished with an extendable cylindrical shaft featuring a hand knob at the distal end and a flange dispenser mount at the other. The hand knob is attached to the threaded end of a central rod assembly which translates in the central shaft by the means of the thread engagement in the internally threaded end of the support tube assembly. The hand knob may also provide a hexagonal or other adapter on the distal providing an engagement by which a cordless electric drill or screwdriver may be attached for rapid power assisted extraction of the plunger from the flanged dispenser cartridge. An optional handle may also be incorporated to the hand knob for rapid manual extraction of the plunger. Both the support tube assembly and the central rod assembly may be one-piece units or they may be comprised of two or more segments joined by coupling units.
The coupling units on the support tube assembly consist of a male threaded coupler and a female threaded coupler attached to opposing parts of the support tube assembly. The central rod assembly will be joined by the means of a threaded stud in the end of the first section of the central rod and a female thread in the end of the second section of the central rod, with a lock nut or other means of locked engagement to assure that the union does not come apart when the hand knob is turned to extrude the substance from the flanged dispenser cartridge. The central rod is provided with one or a plurality of O-rings located in O-ring grooves to centralize the rod within the internal chamber of the support tube and keep the rod from sliding out of the device.
A flanged dispenser mount is attached to the opposite end of the support tube from the hand knob and is adapted for cooperative engagement with one end of a dispenser cartridge. In the current best mode this cooperative engagement is provided by a top groove and a bottom groove in the dispenser mount whereby a flanged dispenser cartridge may be removably attached. A plunger on the distal end of the central rod assembly comes through an orifice centrally located in the flanged dispenser mount to press the internal piston like plunger in the flanged dispenser cartridge used in combination herewith to thereby extrude the substance through the controlled volume orifice.
An alternate preferred embodiment of the flanged cartridge dispenser extension and extrusion system will have an optional flange end on the support tube assembly to be assembled to a conventional ratchet style flanged cartridge dispensing gun for dispensing substances in similar fashion. This embodiment will not have the threaded end on the central rod, but will be provided with a section that will fit within the optional flange end to be pressed by the plunger on the conventional ratcheting style flange cartridge dispensing gun. The center portion of the central rod assembly may be constructed of a solid piece or could be a tubular member.
Means for illumination of the target area is provided by a light or flashlight which can be mounted on the support tube assembly adjacent to the flanged dispenser mount. Such a means for illumination provides viewing light during the application process when there is not enough light available. When tubing is used for the central rod assembly, the plunger end may have an enlarged end to replace the O-ring for stopping the central rod from sliding out of the device.
Another preferred embodiment of the device features small barbs on the distal end of the plunger that will lock the plunger within the internal piston like sleeve of the flanged dispense cartridge. This allows the plunger to be retracted when the hand knob is turned in the opposite direction. These barbs will disengage with the piston-like sleeve when the plunger is retracted into the counter bore area in the orifice in the flanged dispenser mount. This provides the user with absolute control of the amount dispensed and also allows the remainder of dispensed material, if left on the tip of the controlled volume orifice, to be pulled back into the flanged dispenser cartridge.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
An object of the flanged cartridge dispenser extension and extrusion system herein disclosed is to create a means to dispense a controlled amount of a substance from a cartridge in hard to reach areas.
Another object of this flanged cartridge dispenser extension and extrusion system is to create an applicator that will immediately cease material dispensing when rotating the handle activating the device ceases.
An additional object of this flanged cartridge dispenser extension and extrusion system is to create a means to vary the length of the substance dispensing system.
A further object of this flanged cartridge dispenser extension and extrusion system is to create a means to replace the inaccurate and hard to use pistol grip system with an accurate and easy to use rotationally activated system.
Yet another object of this flanged cartridge dispenser extension and extrusion system is to have lengths short enough to be easily packaged, shipped and stored.
An additional object or the device herein disclose is the provision of an alternate embodiment adapted to attach to, and extend, a conventional flanged cartridge dispenser gun.
Still another object of the flanged cartridge dispenser extension and extrusion system is to have an alternate embodiment that will have small barbs on the plunger that will lock into the internal piston-like sleeve in the dispenser cartridge to allow the piston-like sleeve to be pushed forward, stopped or retracted within the cylinder and will pull out when the plunger is fully retracted into the flanged dispenser mount.
A further object of this flanged cartridge dispenser extension and extrusion system is the provision of a dispensing device for cartridge housed material which also provides light to the target area for the material to be deposited.
A final object of this flanged cartridge dispenser extension and extrusion system is to supply a new and more universal tool to be used for dispensing prepackaged substances from a flanged dispenser cartridge.
These together with other objects and advantages which become subsequently apparent reside in the details of the construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.